Standard rental lease in Cambodia

In 3 bullets

• The rental lease in Cambodia is often brief (1-3 pages) and drafted by the landlord — you can (must) ask for changes before signing.
• Essential clauses: duration, rent, deposit, who pays what, termination conditions, inventory of fixtures, Sangkat registration.
• Bilingual Khmer + English is the norm. A French version translated by a third party is useful for understanding, with no legal value.

Concerned audience

• Every expat tenant signing a formal lease.
• For an informal lease (verbal, WhatsApp agreement), a written summary letter is still recommended as evidence.

Essential clauses

1. Identification of parties

• Landlord: full name, Khmer ID or passport number, address.
• Tenant: full name, passport number, nationality.

2. Precise description of the property

• Full address (with numbers and Sangkat ).
• Surface (in m²).
• Number of rooms, floors, included equipment (AC, furniture, appliances).
• Attached photos as annex (recommended).

3. Duration

• Start and end dates (12 months standard).
• Renewal: tacit or explicit, conditions.

4. Rent and payments

• Monthly amount in USD or KHR (USD more common).
• Monthly payment date (typically the 1st or the 5th).
• Payment method: bank transfer (preferred for evidence), cash (avoid without signed receipt).
• Increase: conditions and possible cap at each renewal.

5. Security Deposit

• Amount: generally 2 months of rent.
• Refund conditions: deadline (e.g. within 4 weeks after exit inventory), acceptable deductions.

6. Charges and fees

Clearly specify who pays what:

• Water: direct PPWSA meter, or billed by landlord (often inflated).
• Electricity: direct EDC meter, or billed by landlord.
• Internet / Wi-Fi: included or extra.
• Cleaning: included or extra.
• Security / guard: included or extra.
• Equipment maintenance (AC, appliances, plumbing): on whom?
• Local taxes (property): always the landlord.

7. Inventory of fixtures

• At entry: detailed inventory + dated photos + signature by both parties.
• At exit: comparison with entry, conditions of deposit deductions.

8. Sangkat registration

• The lease must be registered at the Sangkat office within 30 days of signing.
• This obligation legally lies with the landlord but directly affects the tenant (impossible to obtain a Sangkat letter without registration).
• Request a copy of the registration certificate.

9. Termination and notice

• Tenant notice: 1 to 2 months generally.
• Landlord notice: 2 to 3 months usually.
• Early termination conditions (sale of property, payment default) to specify.

10. Translation

• Bilingual Khmer + English is the norm. The mention “English version prevails in case of dispute” is reassuring but not always negotiable.
• For use before a court, a sworn translation may be required — see permis-divers.

How to negotiate

1. Request a draft lease before paying the deposit.
2. Read in full (re-read twice), with a Khmer speaker if possible.
3. Modify problematic clauses (vague charges, deposit refund, free increase).
4. Sign in duplicate — each party keeps their signed and stamped original.

Required documents

• Passport + visa (tenant).
• ID or passport (landlord).
• Title deed or Hard Title (to request from the landlord, proves they are the owner).
• Photos of the property (annexed).

Common pitfalls

FAQ

Must the lease be in Khmer to have legal force?

Officially yes for use before a Cambodian court. In practice, bilingual leases (Khmer + English) are accepted. For a dispute, a sworn Khmer translation is required.

What if the landlord refuses to register the lease at the Sangkat?

Direct pressure: “without registration, I can’t get my Sangkat letter, so I can’t open my account / renew my visa, so I don’t pay next month”. Usually that’s enough.

Can you break a 12-month lease in progress?

Yes, with notice (1-2 months) and loss of deposit in most cases. Some leases provide a fixed penalty (1-3 months of rent). Read the early-termination clause before signing.

Is the French-Cambodian lease valid in France?

The Cambodian lease has no automatic legal force in France. Translated, legalised, and submitted to a French court, it can be considered but that’s extremely rare — Cambodian rental disputes settle in Cambodia.

My lease mentions “no pet”: is that strict?

Yes in theory. In practice, many landlords tolerate cats. For dogs, explicitly negotiate and write it in the lease. Otherwise, risk of termination for breach.